Genital hsv--swollen glands in neck?

[Twalley]

Hi, just trying to sort fact from fiction here.  Do/can cervical lymph nodes swell before/during genital hsv outbreak?  

I'm not sure I have hsv, or don't.  I have no antibodies( please dont ignore my qurstion on that count--this has been a brutal haul of not knowing, pain, confusion).  But since a regrettable incident, I've had recurrent itching/burning and patches of red skin (initially a few bumps).  My genital lymph nodes do not seem to swell noticeably, but those in neck do without fail.

Could This be stress making me more susceptible to common cold, etc?  I don't know anymore... It never really progresses, but lymph nodes definitely swell, and it always seems correlated to genital symptoms, which--when they initially presented -- though not since -- a dermatologist said looked potentially herpetic.

Any help or thoughts?

Thanks!

[gracefromHHP]

only with the initial infection do any lymph nodes swell. lymph nodes in the neck would never swell with recurrences in the genital area and lymph node swelling with recurrences in general doesn't happen unless you are sick with something else that triggers the herpes recurrence.

everyone produces antibodies against herpes once infected. The tests we use only look at a specific area of antibody production against herpes so being one of the few who don't accurately test on the igg blood tests, doesn't mean your body isn't doing what it is supposed to do in response to a herpes infection.

do both those replies make sense?  I'm tired so what sounds right to me, doesn't always come out right when I type it...lol

[Twalley]

Sorry--is it possible my follow up was lost in the mix?  Just checking--thank you again.

[Twalley]

Thanks, Grace.  I really appreciate it.  Two follow ups if you don't mind:

1) when you say it would not happen "every time," does that mean it does happen sometimes?

2) would your response to this change if you genuinely believed I was one of the small percentage of people who don't produce detectable antibodies?  In other words, does it make sense that someone without all the normal immune response might more commonly have full-body symptoms (specifically in this case the neck glands)?

Thanks!

[gracefromHHP]

no, neck glands would not be swelling every time you had a genital herpes ob.

grace